Ice tray



Aug. 8, 1939 J. w. JACOBS ICE TRAY Filed Sept. 17, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR. Jim's M Jvcoss. BY

.11 i u w ///.5 ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 8, 1939 J, w JACOBS 2,169,180

v ICE TRAY Filed Sept. 17, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 a M N I I d! '4; QINVENIOR. v I Jpn: rlycoas.

I/IJ ATTORNEYS Aug. 8, 1939 J. w. JACOBS ICE TRAY Filed Sept. 17, 1958 3Sheets-Sheet 3 4 INVENTOR rfurs: M rfieaaa, z I I ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 8, 1939 PATENT OFFICE ICE TRAY James W. Jacobs, Dayton,Ohio. assignor to Gen-' eral Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, acorporation of Delaware Application September 17, 1938, Serial No.230,466

9 Claims.

This invention relates to freezing devices for liquids and particularlyto ice trays and grids therefor employed in household refrigeratingapparatuses.

A general object of my invention is to provide an improved gridconstruction adapted to be removably disposed in an ice tray fordividing the interior of the tray into a plurality of ice blockcompartments and a novel method of-removing ice blocks from the tray andgrid without applying heat thereto. v

Another object of my invention is to provide a unitary metallic gridstructure for an ice tray which is removable from the tray as a unittogether with ice blocks adhering thereto .and which structure has threesubstantially inflexible members or walls located one above the other insubstantially the same vertical plane and forming a longitudinalpartition carrying a plurality of substantially inflexible transversepartitions and wherein the two upper members of the longitudinalpartition are movable upwardly of the lower member thereof to move thetop member lengthwise of the intermediate member to cause a tilting orrotating movement of the transverse partitions for breaking the bondbetween ice blocks and the grid walls to thereby facilitate theharvesting of ice blocks. I It'is a further object of my invention topro-' vide, in' a grid structure of the type described in the foregoingobject, transverse partitions which are normally disposed in an uprightacute angled position and are movable out of their acute angleddisposition by movement of certan of the members or walls of thelongitudinal partition relative to one another into another position toenlarge the ice block compartments formed therebetween for releasingiceblocks from the compartments.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a grid structure ofthe type described with a lever having a single direction of motion forelevating the unitary grid together with ice blocks adhering theretofrom the tray and for elevating the intermediate and top members, orwalls of the longitudinal partition relative to the lower member or wallthereof to move the top member lengthwise of the intermediate member forcausing tilting or rotation of the transverse partitionsmz.

Still further and more specific objects and advantages of my inventionreside in the construction and ease of operation of my improved gridstructure and in novel combinations and arrangements of parts thereof aswill more fully appear in the course of the following description.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan.view of a freezing device comprising a tray and agrid constructed in accordance with my invention removably disposed inthe tray; 5

Fig. 2 is a sideview of the freezing device disclosed in Fig. 1 andtaken on the line 22 thereof showing the tray in section;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing ice blocks in the freezingdevice and disclosing the 10 grid structure and ice blocks thereinelevated relative tolthe tray;

Fig. 4 is a view disclosing the grid removed from the tray and showingwalls of the grid moved relative to one another for releasing ice 1blocks therefrom;

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view of .thefreezing devicetaken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view 20 of the device taken onthe line 66 of Fig. 2 showing the transverse grid walls interlocking twoof the members of the longitudinal partition together; and

Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse sectional view of 25 the freezing devicetaken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2 showing the connection of two of themembers of the longitudinal grid partition with a third member thereof.

As before stated, my invention relates to a 3 freezing device of thetype generally employed in household refrigerating apparatuses forproduc-- ing small cubes or blocks of ice and reference to theaccompanying drawings will be made to illustrate the invention. Thefreezing device includes 35 a metal ice tray I5 (see Fig. 1) having aunitary metal walled grid I6 removably disposed therein for dividing theinterior thereof into longitudinal rows of ice block compartments H. Thetray l5 has side walls It (see Figs. 5, 6 and '7), a bottom 40 wall Itand opposed end walls 2| and 22. The

tray side walls It and the cnd'walls 2| and 22 thereof divergeoutwardly. toward the top of the tray to facilitate removal of the gridand ice block's adhering thereto from the tray. The walls 45 ll, 2|, and22 of tray |5 have their. upper edge rolled 0r bent over to form a rim23 which extends continuously around' the top of the tray to increaseits structural strength. A portion of the metal tray I5 is extendeddownwardly from rim 2!, as at 24, at the front end 22 thereof andprovides a mounting for a heavy metal piece 26 which has a handle 21pivotally secured thereto as at 2'.v The legs of handle 21 are providedwith a cam surface 29 adapted to engage the u tray support to break anice bond between the tray and its support as will hereinafter be morefully described.

The unitary grid structure, generally represented by the referencecharacter I3, is removably disposed within tray I5 and includes aplurality of inflexible metal walls which divide the interior of thetray into the longitudinal rows of cells or Compartments IT. The gridstructure l3 comprises a longitudinal partition 30 formed oi orcomprising three rigid metal members 3|, 32 and 33. It will be notedthat the major part of members 3|, 32 and 33 are disposed one on top ofthe other and lie in substantially the same vertical plane with oneanother, The lower longitudinal member 33 of partition 33 has anupstanding end portion 34 offset, as at 33 (see Fig. 1), so as toposition the end portion 34 adjacent and out of the vertical plane of anenlarged end portion 33 (see Fig. 4) of member 32. The opposite end ofmember 33 terminates in an upstanding portion 31 also ofl'set, as at 33(see Fig. 1), so as to position this end portion 31 of member 33adjacent and out of the'vertical plane of the ends 33 and 4| of members32 and 3| respectively. The ends 39 and 4| of longitudinal members 32and 3| are secured to longitudinal member 33 by rivets or the like 42and 43 respectively which pass through the upstanding end portion 31 ofmember 33: A lever 43 having a handle end 43 and a short end 41 isprovided with legs 43 and 43 (see Fig. l), Astud or the like 3| stakedor otherwise suitably secured to the one leg 43 of lever 43 extends intoa suitable'opening therefor provided in the upstandingend portion 34 ofmember 33.

The opening within the end portion 34 01' member 33 and the stud 3|provides a pivotal mounting support for lever 43 upon member 33. A studor the like 32 also staked or otherwise suitably secured to the otherleg '48 of lever 43 extends into an angularly disposed slot 33 providedin the enlarged end portion 33 01 member 32. Slot 33 has an enlargedupper end portion 34, the purpose of which will be hereinafterdescribed. The legs 43 and 43 of lever 43 straddle the members 32 and33, and the studs 3| and 32 secured to the lever movably lock the ends34 and 33 of members 33 and 32 respectively together. Thus, lever 43 ispivotally secured to or mounted on member 33 of the longitudinalpartition 33 by a stud 3|.

The upper member 3| of partition 33 has its end opposite the end 4|thereof terminating in spaced relation to a wall portion 33 of theenlargedend 33 of member for a purpose to be hereinafter more fullydescribed. This upper longitudinal member 3| of partition 33 has a plu-.rality of equally spaced apart slots 31 cut inwardly of its top edge.Slots 31 are wider at their lower portion than attheir top for a purposewhich will become apparent in the description oi operation of the gridstructure. The intermediate member 32 of the longitudinal partition 33base. plurality of equally spaced apart slots pose to hereinafter becomeapparent.

33 cut inwardly of its bottom edge. -These slots 33 cut or provided inmember 32 are wider at their tops than at their lower portion for a pur-The slots 51 in member 3| are, in the normal ice freezing position ofthe grid structure I3, disposed slightly to the right of slots 33provided in member 32. Slots 31 and 33 are paired and each pair thereofis adapted to receive and hold in place upon the grid structure l3 across wall or partition which cooperates with the longitudinal partitionto' divide the interior of tray I3 into the plurality of ice blockcompartments I1. I, therefore, located a plurality of transversepartitions or rigid metal walls 3| upon the two members 3| and 32 of thelongitudinal partition 33 and within the slots 31 and 33 prior tosecuring the members 3| and 32 to the lower member 33 of thelongitudinal partition. Each first members 3| is provided with avertically disposed opening therein for the reception of the members 3|and 32. One

side of the opening in each member. is bounded by a straight verticalside wall 32 (see Fig. 6 The other side of the opening in each member 3|is formed or bounded by a short vertical wall portion 33 connected witha. second vertical wall portion 34 by an angularly disposed wall portion33 which is connected, by a short horizontal wall portion 33, with athird vertical wall portion 31. In assembling the transverse partitions3| upon the grid structure I3, the member 3| is first passed through theopening in each partition 3| and is moved over so that the web portionsthere-- of below the slots 31 lie against the wall portions 34 and 33.This temporary position of member 3| within the cross walls 3| leavessufficient space within the opening provided in the wall 3| for thereception of the longitudinal member 32. The member 32 is then passedthrough the opening in each partition 3| to position the top wall ofslots 33 provided therein against the bottom wall of the openings inpartitions 3|. The short angular wall portion 33 oi the opening in eachpartition 3| permits'the member 3| to then be moved upwardly of member32 into vertical alignment therewith whereby member 3| rests upon member32 while at the same time locking the transverse members 3| in place bythe engagement of member 3| with wall portion 33 and member 32 with wallportion 31 of members 3|. The assembled together members 3|, 32 and 3|are then secured to member 33 by the rivets 42 and 43 and by the studs3| and 32 of lever 43 to provide a unitary grid structure. It will benoted that the cross walls or partitions 3| each have a vertical slot 1|provided therein and extending upwardly from in an. inclined or acuteangled upright position relative to the bottom 01 tray |3 or relative tothe vertical disposition of longitudinal partition 33. This acute angleddisposition of partitions 3| provides the iceblock compartment IT with aparallelogram shape in one direction of cross section therethrough.Thus, it'will be seen ,that movement of the uppe'rmember 3| oflongitudinal partition 33 toward the lever end of the grid structure l3,as by elevating member 32 relative to member 33 as will hereinafter be.more specifically described, will cause the inclinedcross walls orpartitions 3| to straighten up or move into a substantially verticalposition whereby the parallelogram-shaped compartments H are changedinto a substantially square or rectangular form to thereby enlarge thecompartments. The construction and arrangementoi the various parts ofthe unitary grid structure are such that one lever having a singledirection oi motion will suflice to lift the grid l3 together with iceadhering thereto bers 3| and 32 relative to the rigid metal member 33 ofgrid IO, and move grid member 3| lengthwise of grid member 32 to rotateor swing the rigid transverse metal walls ii to enlarge the icecompartments ll.

Assume that water has been frozen in the freezing device in theform ofice blocks 15 in the compartments 11, by the cooling effect produced bya cooling element or evaporator of a refrigerating system, and removalor harvesting of these ice blocks is desired. The tray handle 21 isgrasped. by the hand and pulled outwardly, thus causing same to pivotabout its pivotal mounting 28 and move downwardly. This initial downwardmovement of handle 21 causes the cam surface or surfaces 29 thereon tobear against the evaporator to break the ice bond between the freezingdevice and the evaporator. The freezing device can, thereafter, be.readily removed from its support in or on the evaporator. After removalof the freezing device from the evaporator of the refrigerating system,handle end 46 of lever on grid i6 is grasped by the hand and elevated tocause the lever to rotate about its pivotal mounting pin or stud 5|.Initial upward movement of lever 45 causes the short end l| thereof toengage the rim 2? at the back end of tray l5 and apply force to the trayto elevate the unitary grid structure l6 nd the ice blocks 15 adheringthereto relative to he tray of the freezing device. The enlarged portion54 of slot 53 in member 32 permits the initial movement of lever 45 tobe carried out without moving any of the ice block compartment walls orpartitions relative to others thereof. The position of the initialmovement of lever 45 of the device is illustrated in Fig. 3 of thedrawings and it willbe noted, that the grid l6 and ice blocks 15 bondedthereto are raised away from the bottom wall [9 of tray IS. The bondbetween the ice and tray l5 having now been broken permits the unitarygrid structure 16 to be removed from the tray for the purpose ofreleasing ice blocks 15 from walls of thegrid. After grid ii has beenremoved from tray l5, further elevation or rotation of lever 45 aboutits pivotal mounting 5i causes the pin or stud 52 carried by the-leverto apply force to walls of the angularly disposed slot 53 to therebylift the lever end of a second member or member 32 of longitudinalpartition 30 relative to the first or lower member 33 thereof. Elevationof member 32 about its pivot 2 causes the third member or member 3i oflongitudinal partition 30 tornove lengthwise of the second member 32 ina direction toward the lever end of the grid structure or toward thewall portion 56 of themlarged endportion 36 of member 32 to close'thegap between member 3| and wall portion (see Fig. 4). This lengthwisemovement of member 3| relative to member, 32, during elevation of thesemembers of the longitudinal partition 30 relative to the first or alower member 33 thereof, applies force t'.- the transverse walls or.partitions 6| to swing or rotate same within the 7 lots 51 and.58. Theswinging or rotating moveent of partitions 6! moves them out of theirnormal acute angled disposition into'a substantially vertically positionwhich enlarges thev compartrnents *I'l. Movement of the rigid metalwalls'or partitions of grid structure l6 relative to one another in themanner described and as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings breaks thebond between the ice blocks 15 and the grid walls or partitions and theenlarging of the ice block compartments ll causes the blocks 15 to beliberated from theunitary grid structure. In Fig. 4 of the drawings, Ihave shown the ice- 'blocks 18 in dot-dash lines within the compartmentsI! after the walls of grid I! have been moved merely to illustrate thechange inform or enlargement of the normally parallelogramshaped icecompartments. 'It is to be understood, however, that, when the walls ofthe gridv have been moved to the position shown in Fig.4

grid structure to facilitate their removal with a minimum of effortmanually exerted upon the operating lever. forces applied to the iceblocks in different directions relative to one another prevent undueshattering of the ice blocks. My improved grid structure is of low cost,strong and durable, and yet operable by one lever adapted to move in asingle direction of motion for separating the grid together with iceblocks bonded thereto from the tray and for moving the grid wallsrelative to one another for liberating ice blocks therefrom. Myimprovedgrid structure isconstructed entirely of metal to thereby,retain the fast freezing characteristics of metal tray and gridcombinations.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed,constitutes'a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims whichfollow.

What is claimed. is as follows:

1. A unitary grid structure for disposition in an ice tray and removabletherefrom as a unit, said grid structure comprising a longitudinalpartition and a plurality of partitions disposed in spaced apartrelation along the length of said stantially the same vertical planewith one another and cooperating with said outwardly extendingpartitions to form walls of a-plurality of ice block compartments, meansfor connecting said three members of said longitudinal partition andsaid plurality of outwardly extending partitions together in movablerelation to one another, means mirriedby said grid structure forapplying force between a first one and a second one of said members ofsaid longitudinal partition to elevate a portion of said second one andthe third one of said members together with said outwardly extendingpartitions relative to/sald first one of said members, and, theconnection of said members being so constructed and arranged that theelevation of said second and said third members with said outwardlyextending partitions relative to said first member causes movement ofsaid third member lengthwise of said second member to thereby rotatesaid outwardly extending partitions. for liberating ice blocks from'saidcompartments.

2. A unitary grid structure for disposition in said grid structurecomprising a longitudinal partition and a plurality of partitionsdisposed in spaced apart relation along the length of said longitudinalpartition and extending outwardLv therefrom, said longitudinal partitionincluding three superimposed members disposed in substantially the samevertical plane with one another and cooperating with said outwardlyextending partitions to form walls of a plurality of ice biockcompartments, means for connecting said outwardly extending partitionsto at least two of said three members 01 said longitudinal partition,means for connecting said three members of said longitudinal partitiontogether in movable relation to one another, means carried by said gridstructure for applying force between a first one and a second one oi!said members of said longitudinal partition to elevate a portion of saidsecond one and the third one of said members together with saidoutwardly extending partitions relative to said first one oi'saidmembers, and the connection 01' said members being so constructed andarranged that the elevation of said second and said third members withsaid outwardly extending partitions relative to said first membersimultaneously movessaidthird member lengthwise of said second memberand rotates said outwardly extending partitions to liberate ice blocksfrom said compartments.

3. In combination, a tray having a grid disposed therein, said gridcomprising a longitudinal partition and a plurality of partitionsdisposed in spaced apart relation along the length or said longitudinalpartition and extending continuously through the plane thereof outwardlyfrom its sides, said longitudinal partition including three superimposedmembers disposed-in substantially the same vertical plane with oneanother and cooperating with said outwardly extending partitions todivide the interior of said tray into rows of ice block compartments,means for connecting said three members of said longitudinal partitionand said plurality of outwardly extending partitions together in movablerelation to one another to form a unitary removable grid structure,means carried by said grid structure tor applying force to said tray forelevating the grid together with ice blocts adhering thereto relative tothe tray, said means being arranged to impart a iorce between a firstone and a second one of said members of said longitudinal partition toelevate a portion of said second one and the third one or said memberstogether with said outwardly extending partitions relative to said firstone oi said members after the unitary grid structure and ice blocks havebeen elevated relative to the tray, and the connection of said membersbeing so constnscted and arranged that the elevation of said second andsaid third members with said outwardly extending partitions relative tosaid first member causes movement of said third member lengthwise 01said second member to thereby rotate said outwardly extending partitionsfor liberating ice blocks from said Brid structure.

4. A unitary grid structure for d lpo tion an ice tray and removabletbereirom as a unit,

said grid s lond' tudinal partition and a plurality of partitionsdisposed in spaced apart relation along the length of said longitudinalpartition and extending outwsrdly therefrom, said longitudinal,partition including three superimposed members dimosed in substantiallythe some vertical plane with one another and cooperating with saidoutwardly exand a second one of said members of said longitudinalpartitionto elevate a portion of said second one and the third one orsaid members together with said outwardly extending partitions relativeto said first one 01 said members, and the connection of said membersbeing so con- I structed and arranged that the elevation of said secondand said third members with said outwardly extending partitions relativeto said first member causes movement of said third member lengthwise ofsaid second member to thereby rotate said outwardly extending partitionsout of their normal acute angleddisposition to enlarge said compartmentsfor liberating ice blocks from said grid structure.

5. A unitary grid structure for disposition in an ice tray and removabletherefrom as a unit,

said grid structure comprising a longitudinal partition and a pluralityoi partitions disposed in spaced apart relation along the length of saidlongitudinal partition and extending outwardly therefrom, saidlongitudinal partition including three superimposed members disposed insubstantially the same vertical plane with one another and cooperatingwith said outwardly extending partitlonsto iorm walls 0! a plurality ofice block-compartments, said outwardly extending partitions beingnormally disposed at an acute angle with respect to the disposition of,said longitudinal partition to provide said ice block compartments witha parallelogram form in one direction of cross section therethrough,means for connecting said outwardly extending partitionsto at least twoof said three members of said longitudinal partition, means forconnecting said three members of said longitudinal partition together inmovable relation to one another, means carried by said grid structureior svvlyins force between a first one and a second one of said membersoi said longitudinal partitionto elevate a portion oi said second oneand the third one of said members together with said outwardly extendingpartitions relative to said first one of said members, and theconnection oi said members being soconstructed and arranged that theelevation of said second and said third members with said outwardlyextending partitions relative to said iirst member simultaneouslymovesssid third member lengthwise oi saidi second member and rotatessaid outwardly extending partitions out of their normal acute angleddisposition to enlarge said compartments for lib erating ice block'siromsaid grid structure.

8. In combination, a tray having a grid disposed therein. said gridcomprising a longitudinal partition and a plurality of partitionsdisposed in spaced apart relation along the length or said longitudinalpartition and extending continuously through the plane thereo! outwardlyfrom its sides, said longitudinal partition including three superimposedmembers disposed in substantially the same vertical plane with one an-%other and cooperating with said outwardly exdisposition ofsaidrlongitudinal partition to provide said ice block compartments witha parallelogram form in one direction of cross section therethrough,means for connecting said three members of said longitudinal partitionand said plurality of outwardly extending partitions together in movablerelation to one another to form a unitary removable grid structure,means carried by said grid structure for applying force to said tray'for elevating same together with ice blocks adhering thereto relativeto the tray, said means being arranged toalso impart a force between afirst one and a second one of said members or said longitudinalpartition to elevate a portion of said second one and the third one ofsaid members together with said outwardly extendingpartitions relativeto said first one of said members after the unitary grid structure andice blocks have been elevated relative to the tray, and the connectionof said members being so constructed and arranged that the elevation ofsaid second and said third members with said outwardly extendingpartitions relative to said first member causes movement of said thirdmember lengthwise of said second member to thereby rotate said outwardlyextending partitions out of their normal acute angled disposition toenlarge said compartments forliberating ice blocks fromsaid gridstructure.

7. A unitary grid structure for disposition in an ice tray and removabletherefrom as a unit,

said grid structure comprising a longitudinal partition and a pluralityof partitionsdisposed in spaced apart relation along the length of saidlongitudinal partition and extending outwardly therefrom, saidlongitudinal partition including three superimposed members disposed insubstantially the same vertical plane with one another and cooperatingwith said outwardly extending partitions to form walls of a plurality ofice block compartments, means for connecting said three members of saidlongitudinal partition and said plurality of outwardly extendingpartitions together in movable relation to one another, a leverpivotally carried by a first one of the three members of saidlongitudinal partition and having a connection with a second one of saidmembers, said lever being operable to apply force between said firstmember and said second member to elevate a portion of said second memberand the third one of said members together with said outwardly extendingpartitions relative to said first member, and the connection of saidmembers being so constructed and arranged that the ele-. vation of saidsecond and said third'members with said outwardly extending partitionsrelative to said first member causes movement or said third memberlengthwise of said second member to thereby move said outwardlyextending partitions relative to said members for liberating ice blocksfrom said compartments.

8. A unitary grid structure for disposition in an ice tray and removabletherefrom as a unit,

5 said grid structure comprising a longitudinal partition and aplurality of partitions disposed in spaced apart relation along thelength of said longitudinal partition and extending outwardly therefrom,said longitudinal partition including three members cooperating withsaid outwardly extending partitions to form walls of a' plurality of iceblock compartments, means for connecting said three members of saidlongitudinal'partition structed and arranged that the elevation ofsaidsecond and said third members with said outwardly extending partitionsrelative to said first member causes movement of said third memberrelative to said second member to thereby move said outwardly extendingpartitions for breaking the bond between ice blocks and the compartmentwalls and for liberating iceblocks from said compartments.

I '9. A unitary grid structure for disposition in e an ice tray andremovable therefrom as a unit, said grid structure comprising alongitudinal partition and a plurality of partitions disposed in Rspaced apart relation along the length of said longitudinal partitionand extending outwardly therefrom, said longitudinal partition includingthree superimposed members disposed in substantially the same verticalplane with one another and cooperating with said outwardly extendingpartitions to form walls of a plurality of ice block compartments, saidoutwardly extending partitions being normally disposed at an acute anglewith respect to the disposition of said longitudinal partition toprovide said ice block compartments with a parallelogram form in onedirection of cross section therethrough, means for connecting saidoutwardly extending partitions to at least two of said three members ofsaid longitudinal partition, means for connecting said three members ofsaid longitudinal partition together in movable relation to one another,means for applying force between a first one and a second one of saidmembers of said longitudinal partition to elevate a portion of saidsecond one and the third one of said members togetherwith said outwardlyextending partitions'relative to said first one of said members, and theconnection of said members being so constructed and arranged that theelevation of said second and said third members with said outwardlyextending partitions relative to said first member moves said thirdmember relative to said second member and also moves said outwardlyextending partitions out of their normal acute angled disposition toenlarge said compartments for breaking the bond between ice blocks andthe compartment walls and for liberating ice blocks from said gridstructure.

JAMES w. JACOBS.

as Y

